Railway-car brake.



No. 778,438, PATBNTED DBG. 27, 1904.

' W. L. BARKBR.-

RAILWAY GAR BRAKE. APPLICATION FILED JULY 18.1903. RENWED MAY 6.1904.

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PATENTED' DE01'. 27, 1904,

W. L. BALRKBR. RAILWAY GAR BRAKE. ALIATION ILBD JULY 18.1903.4 RENEWEDCMAY 6,1904.

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Y UNITED STATEsy Patented December 27, 1904..

PATENT .0V-Trios.

' 4RAILWAY-GAR BRAKE.-

SPECIFICATIQN forming part of Letters Patent No. 778,438, dated December Renewed May e, 1904, semina. 206,760.

Application flied July 18, 190s.

To all whom, it ntaycmwern:

- Be it known that I, WILLIAM L. BARKER, a'

citizen of the United States, residing'in Ashbourne, Pennsylvania, have invented certain Improvements in Railway-'Car Brakes, of which the following is a specification.

The object of my invention is to provide -a braking device for railway-carswhich will automatically adjust itself, so as to apply the brakes to Athe -wheels of each truck of each car or vehicle of a train according to the respective weight borne by said truck in lorder that the resistance oferedto the motionof the vehicle may be proportional to its momentum, which is the product of its mass and Velocity, thereby rendering it possible to properly brake a mixed train of light cars and loaded cars, Whose burden varies from maximum to minimum, and also to efectually guard against the skidding of wheels andvto have under control i at all times and under all circumstances a maximu'm brakingfor retarding effect for instantaneous application should occasion require. The automatic application of the brake is so controlled that besides being susceptible of perfect graduation the brakes may be .administered first to the 'wheels of the truck sustaining the greatest weight, then to the wheels of the truck carrying vthe next lighter load, 'thento the next, and so on until the lightest is last reached in order that the resistance may be first offered Where momentum' is greatest and last where it is least, 'there being, therefore, no retardationl of the movement of the lighter-loaded trucks until the heavier-loaded ones have been retarded to the extent of their excess momenta. By this means I prevent disturbance vof the trains equipoise due to the varying distribution of weight in the train and consequent varying momenta of v its different members.

My improved'braking device also provides .for the automatic application of the brakes should the train part or. the air-supply become exhausted or proveinsuicient. It avoids the diflicnlty of gettingaway from stations owing to the sticking' ofl some part of the braking mechanism, and it is interchangeable with other prevailing systems which reduce or exhaust the train-pipe pressure in order to apply the brakes. i

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a side elevation, partlyin section, illustrating the application of my invention to a car-truck having the brake-beams disposed outside of the wheels, one of the side frames ofthe truck being removed. Fig. 2 is a transverse sccf tion of the truck,'partlyin elevation. Fig. 3 is a View similaito Fig 1, butillustrating the application of myinvention t0 acar-truck having the brake-beams between the front and rear wheels. V Fig. 4 is a view of said truck, partly in transverse section and partly in elevation. Figs. 5 and 6 are perspectiveviews,

4", which rest upon a transverse spring-planky 4. This spring-'plank is mounted uponapair ot` levers 5, eachforkcd at its outer end,as shown in Fig. l, and each leg'of said fork is suspended by depending lin'ks 6 from the outer ends of the transoms 2, suitable dependingv brackets 7 on the spring-plank serving to pivotally connect the latter to the forked end of each lever'.l These dependingfbrackets are in the present instance formed by sections ot1` channel-bar rigidly' secured to the springplank at points adjacent to the springs, the swinging links 6, whereby the outer ends of the levers are hung to the transom, providing A for the necessary lateral movement of said ends .as the levers swing, and thus permlttmg the brackets7 to travel in direct vertical lines,

so as tov impart no lateral strain either to the spring-plank or levers. By forking the levers at their outer ends a broad bearing is obtained and the stability of each lever as regards its capacity for resisting twisting strains is insured.

Between each transom 2 and the pivotal up- 1o sure such zo to swing toward the inner rail.

25 contact with the 45 of thefsame.` rIhs lever12 I term the per end of the outer link 6 is inserted a reinforcing-plate 6, shownin Fig. 1, which is securely riveted to the transom A'andy is, like the latter, perforated for Ithe passage of the bolt upon which the links 6 are pivoted. This plate has a threefold purpose-first, to lend additional strength to the web of the channelbar or transom a`t thel point which receives the pivot-bolt for the links; secondly, to inlateral separation of the outer link from the transomas will permit it to swing clear of the casting upon which the transom is'supported and which sometimes Vhas a lipbearing upon the inner face of the transom-` web, and, thirdly and chiefly, as a fixed check movement ot' the spring-plankwithout materially affecting its vertical play.

rIhe inner ends of the levers 5 are connected, by means of links 8,to whatI term a "triple coupler 9, as shown on an enlarged scale in Fig. 5, and consisting of a web 10, with eyes for they reception ofrfpins at the upper ends of the links this web having at the top a pair of jaws lfor the reception-of the inner end of the-A lower arm of a bell-crank lever 12,

which'is hung to a depending looped strap 13,

secured to one of -the transoms 2, said strap having upwardly-projecting members 13', secured'tothe" sides of the transom, and'laterallyeXtendi-n riiembers 13b, secured to the bottom The strain upon thegiivotal support of the' lever 12 is the result ofthe vrticalpush upon the longitudinally-extending arm of the lever and the longitudinal pull upon the upwardly- Hence this strainA Aextending arm oi' the same.

tends to thrust the pivotal support diagonally downward, and therbetter to resist this thrust the upwardly-extending members 13 of the strap 13 are provided.

The upper end of the lever 12 plays in a slottedplate 30, secured to one of the transom-bars 2, and said lever is connected'by'a rod 14 to the upper end of the live lever 15 ct' the braking mechanism, which is hung to jaws on one of the brake-beams 16, rthe lower end of said lever 15 being connected by a rod 17 to the lower end of a dead lever 18, which is hung to jaws on the other brakebeam 19 and is fulcrumed upon the upper i of the cylinder 31.

end of a rod 20, hung to a suitable bearing 21 on one of the transom-bars 1n that embodiment of my invention shown in Fig. 3 the lever 12 is `not connected directly to the live lever 15 of the braking mechanism, but is connected by a rod 22 to :1 lever 23, hung to a yoke 24, projecting from one of the transoms of the truck, this lever being connected by a rod 25 to the live lever 15. lIn this truck also the upper end of the dead lever 18 is pivoted to a yoke 26 instead of to the outer end of a rod 20, as in the truck shown in Fig. 1.

' The weight of the car upon the bolster 3 is transmitted to the spring-plank 4 and thence through the medium of the levers 5st() the lever 12 and' tends to move the same in the direction of the arrow, Fig. 1, so as to apply the brake-shoes to the wheels of the truck, movement of said lever 12 in the opposite direction being eected by connection of the same with the piston of the air-cylinder or other power device with which the car is equipped, the action of said power device tending to raise the spring-plank and bolster, with their load, and thus loosen the brakes.

The slotted plate 30, however, limits the movement of the lever 12 by the power mechanism of the brake, and hence this stop-plate constitutes an important feature of my invention, for if a car happened to be provided with a heavier load at one end than at' the other the power mechanism would, in the absence of such stop-plate 30, impart all of its movement to'the lever 12 of Y the truck whose `bolster carried the lighter load, with the result that the brakes would not be re` leased lfrom the wheels of the truck whose bolster carried the heavier load.. vThis will be nnde rstood on reference toFig. 7 which illustrates acommon form of power device for operating car-brakes. In 'this figure, 31 represents the,I power-cylinder, and '32 its piston-rod connected to a level' 33, which is coupled by an adjustabl'e rod 34; to a lever 35, hungto the'rear head The lever 33 is connected to the braking devices of one truck, (represented at 00,) and the lever 35 is connected to the braking devicesof the other truck, (represented at If that portion of the car over the truck provided with the braking devices m carried the lighter load, the movement of the piston 32 would, inthe absence ofthe stops 30, move only the lever 33, and hence .would release only the braking devices m, 'since the greater resistance to be overcome in order to effect release of the braking devices m would preclude any operation of the lever 35, and the reverse would be the case if the truck provided with the braking devices m' carried'the lighter load. By stopping the movement of each lever 12, however, 'when such movement represents about one-half of the full travel of the piston in the power-cylinder the first half of said travel must neceslsarilyloe devoted to operating the lever 12 of i the Kbraking devicesV of the lighter-.loaded Hence the release of the brakes on both trucks by the action of the power device is insured. For instance, when pull is exerted upon the -I levers 1 2 of two unequally-loaded trucks of the car itv is obvious that the lever of the truck having the lightest load will first respond to and will continue this motion until its stop or will necessarilybe the pressure, as it oifers the least resistance,

check is reached, whereupon any further movement of the power device ofthe brake transmitted to the lever 12 i of the brake of the truck having the heavier load and willI serve to move said lever until 4throughout the train.

its stop or check car jwill belifted to the same extent at each end and the brakes of leach' truck will be fully released. l

In applying the brakesV the operation is as follows: As the pressure linthev train-pipe'or other power device is reduced the lever 12 of the truck bearing the heavier weight will first be moved and will continue tornove until it' hasappliedthe brakes to 'the'wheels of its truck with a pressure equivalent to the preponderance of weight exerted upon said truck but thereafter the levers of both tiueksyvlichl now offer the same resistance tothe power devices of the brake, will respond quickly -to any. further reduction of pressure, an'd lwhat is true of the trucksof the individual car will be just as truefoi" the trucks of the cars Hence .jost'ling ofthe 'carsdue to the disproportionate braking of the wheels of the' ,severalcarswillfbe pre- 'vented-f The person havingcontiol of -,the brakes wiil`- notbe able'to release the brakes of the entire train until sufficient 'pressure li'ftthe bolster of the bolster having that -bolst'er is load up'o'n it. The 'result of this will be the 'correctionof excessmomenta wherever it may be nd throughout the train, thus tending to prese'rvethe equilibrium ofthetrain and obviat'efmujeh; ifv 4not all, of the jostling 'and jarring which is inseparable-from the operation of the ,Between vaheavilyloaded vcar v.partially re- I tardebl and an empty car fully retarded the tendencyof the former must be to forge ahead,

- whileA that ofthe latter must beto hold'back,

4a'r'idjf this tendency undoubtedly causes many but it will be evident that when the motion of each car or of each truck is resisted in proportion to its-momentum there is reached,at which time the having the `will result a harmony of action which will eifectually'overcome the objection noted. As-

sumingthat just `suflicient air is being maintained to hold the brakes off throughout the train, any reduction of said pressure will be followed by van application of said brakes `as complete and as simply effected as under the old straight-air system.

In .caseof parting of .the train the disruption of the hose-couplings will exhaust presi sure from the train-pipe, and thus cause the brakes to be applied with full force, and if the air-supply is exhausted the same result will take place, or if the air-supply is'insuiiicient there will be a partial application of the brakes equivalent .in extent to such insufficiency.

Sticking of the brakes at stations is vented by reason of the fact that the brakes are positively forced off by power. Hence failure of the brake-shoes to leave the wheels because of sluggish action of a spring or weight cannotpossibly occur.

pre-

Having thus ydescribed'my invention, I claim andl desire to secure by Letters Patent` 1. r'The combination in braking mechanism operated by the' weight of the load to apply the brakes and by power mechanism to relieve the brakes, of'a stop for arresting the movement of the braking devices when the brakeshoes are properly freed from the wheels, substantially as speciiied. L 2. The combination in braking-mechanism operated by-the weight of the yload to apply the brakes and. by power mechanism to release the brakes, of stops for'arresting the release movement ofthe braking devices of each truck of a car, whereby, after the brakes of a truck lighter load have been released, further application of power willrelease the IOO brakes of the truck having the heavier load,

lsubstantially as specified.

3. The combination of the primary lever of spring plank, a spring supported bolster thereon, and levers hung to the fixed structurel 'of'the truck and carrying said spring-plank,

said'le'vers being connected to saidfprimary lever of the braking mechanism', substantially as specified.

.4. The combination of the-primary lever of the brakingmechanism of a railway-car, a pair of transverse levers coupled to said'primary lever and eachforked at its -outer end, means for'hanging theforkedouter ends of the lethe braking mechanism of a car-truck, a'l

IIS

vers to theiixed structure of the car-truck,

and means for transmitting the weight of the car to saidlevers, substantially as specified.`

5. The combination of the primary lever of i the braking mechanism of a railway-car, a pair 'vers lCoupled at their inner ends to the brakelever system of the truck, links whereby theouter ends of said pair of levers are hung` to the fixed structure of the truck, and rigid connections between said pair of levers and the load-carrying member of the truck, substantially as specified.

7. The combination of the primary lever of the braking mechanism of a car-truek,'means forapplying power :to said lever to move it in one direction, and Jfor applying the weight of the load upon the truck to move it in the opposite direction, and a hanger for said lever Vconsisting of a looped strap, havingboth upwardly extending andA laterally extending members secured to the xed structure of the truck, substantially as specified. f

8. Thecombination of the transoms of the 'mense' truck, the spring-plank., the spring-supported bolster thereon, levers carrying said springn plank and connected to the braking' mechanism, and stops for limiting the lateral movement of the springplank, substantially as specified. u

9. The'eombination of the transoms of the truck, the spring-plank, the spring-supported bolster thereon, levers carrying said springy plank and connected to the braking mechanism, depending links to which said levers are hung, and reinforeingfplates interposed between said links and the transoms of the truck and serving as stops to limit the lateral move# ment of the.springplank, substantially as WrLpiAM L. elimina. Witnesses:

E E. BECHTOLD, dos. H. KLEIN. 

